Improvement in sewing-machines



1 2 -Sheets-Sfieet L U. REDMON D.

Sewing Macihne. No. 42,110. Patented March 29, 1864.

I Fig.

N. PETERS Pmwumn n h-r. W lshinglnm O. REDMOND.

I Sewing Macihne. No. 42,110. I Patented March 29, 1864.

N. PETERS. PhnlnLilhogmphur. Washillgim!v D. C.

2 Sh'eets-Sheet NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OVVEN REDMON D, OF ROCHESTER, NEW-YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEWING-MACHINES.-

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 42,110, dated March 2),1864.:

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OWEN REDMOND, of Rochester, in the county 01' Monroeand State of New York, have invented certain new andusefullniprovementsinSewing-Machines; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full and exact description thereof, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a plan of the top of my improved machine; Fig. 2, a plan ofthe bottom; Fig. 3, an elevation of one side; Fig. 4, an elevation oftheopposite side; Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8,9,10,11, and 12, views of partsdetached.

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures.

My machine is of that class known as the double-thread machine; and theinvention consists in the arrangement of parts hereinafter fully setforth.

As represented in the drawings, A is the usual iron bed or plate, withwhich the parts are connected ;'B, thecurved arm, to which theneedle-bar is attached; and G, the needlebar, pivoted at a and havingits rear or lower end curved and extending downward through the bed, asshown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, so as to be properly connected with theoperatingeccentric. To the forward end of the needlebar is jointed apitman, b, Which is also jointed at the oppositeend to a guide, 0,sliding in the head of thearm B, and to which the needle d is secured,as usual.

On 'a line with the needle the bed A is provided with two bearings, c c,projecting downward from its bottom, and in these bearings is mounted aset of pulleys, cams,'and eccentrics, as clearly represented in Figs. 2,3, 4., and 5. Of this set, 1 is the band-pulley, by which the machine isoperated. 2 is the side cam,t-hat operates the feed-bar. raises thecloth-plate, hereinafter described. a is the eccentric, that operatesthe needle-bar by means of connecting-rod D and its strap g and 5 is thecircular head or wheel, in which is situated the pinions t'oroperatingthe looper, as will presently be explained. The eccentric 4 and the head5 are situated outside the inner. bearing, and are provided with ahollow shaft,f, Fig. 5, to which the outer cams are coupled, and whichforms the journals of the parts. Through the hollow shaft passes anindependent rock-shaft, it, having secured to its outer 3 is thevertical cam, that end a small crank, t, connected with the lowerextremity of the needle-bar by a rod, E, and to its inner end a smallpinion, In, Figs. 5 and 6, sunk flush in the face of the head 5, butturning freely therein, said pinion gearing with another, I, which inturn gears with a third, m, having the looper a attached rigidly theretoand extending out through a thin disk or plate, 0, which is attached tothe head by screws or otherwise, and serves to keep the pinions inplace. In Fig. 6, which is an end view of the head, the disk 0 isremoved for the purpose of showing the arrangement of the pinions.

The-looper is a hook substantially ot' the form shown in the drawings,and its object is to catch the needle-thread and carry it downwardaround the shuttle, presently to be de scribed. Its projection,therefore, from the head is such as to come into close contact with theneedle when lowered. In rotating, the looper assumes the positionsindicated by the various outlines of the same in Fig. 4. It catches thethread, as shown at the top in red lines, and carries it downward, whileat the sametimetheneedleis rising. Attheposition of the looperindicatedin black lines the needle begins to fall again, while at thesame timethe looper commences to change its position toward that shownin red lines at the right hand, thus producing a drawing action on thethread to compensate for the fall of the needle, and keeping it tauttill it has passed the shuttle, when the looper turns so as to releasethe thread, which then draws up and formsthe stitch, while the looper isfree to act again.

It is apparent that if the looper were rigidly secured to the head itwould catch the thread but not release it; and it is also apparent thatthe looper would not be in the right position at all times it the pinionis were perfectly stationary, from the fact that from the time thelooper first catches the thread to the time it reaches the positionindicated in black lines, Fig. 4., it must not greatlyvary its angle inorder to hold the loop properly; but at the latter position it isdesirable that it should turn quickly into the position shown at theright in red in order to releasethe loop to form the stitch. Anirregular action is thus re quired, which is accomplished by meansot'the rock-shaft h receivinga motion from the needlebar through theconnecting-rod E and crank i,

as indicated by the black arrow, Fig. 6, when the thread is firstcaught, thus counterbalancing or retarding to a certain degree theregular rotation of the looper-pinion, and then, at the proper position,reversing the motion, as indicated by the red arrow, and thusaccelerating the rotation of the looper-pinion so as to turn the looperquickly into the position to discharge the thread. From this point tillthe looper catches the thread again the pinion k remains stationary. bythe simple leciprocatiousof the needle-bar.

Ata suitable position beneath the needle is situated the shuttle F,being sustained by aclamp consisting of two parts, G H, Figs. 2 and 3,the former being secured to a bearing ot the bed by screws orotherwise,and the latter being adjusted to it by means of a setscrew, 11. Theshuttle is situated between the ends of the clamp, which forms a socketin which itrests loosely, in such a manner that the loop of theneedle-thread may pass around it-,-and thus around its thread, and formthe stitch. This construction of the clamp does not dilfer essentiallylrom others in use.

The construction ofthe shuttle is shown most clearly in Figs. 10,11, and12, which are respectivelyaside elevation, vertical section, andcross-section. It consists'of two parts-an outer case, q, circular andsharp-edged in front, but with a square shoulder in the rear, to restagainst the side of the clamp-socket to keep it from turning, and abobbin, 1', within it, containing the thread, and which turns onacentral pivot. The case is perforated through the edge with severalsmall holes, through which the thread passes, as shown at s, and it hason its top, orat a suitable position, a small spring, t, secured bymeans of a screw, which spring rests on the thread asit comes throughthe holes, and thus regulates the tension. By

means of the screw the spring may be made to press more or less, and thetension is thus adapted to any kind or condition of sewing.

.This arrangement of the shuttle is very con- .venient.

I employ the ordinary reciprocating feedfbar, I, Figs. 5 and 7, whichreceives its forward movement by means of the side cam, 2, as beforedescribed, and its backward move- The end a plate, 1 above.

It will be seen that by turning the eccentric w in one direction or theother the feed-bar .will be correspondin gl ymoved forward or backward,and its throw accordingly modified, thus regulating the length of thestitch; and this .gage is exactly indicated by the pointer and .thescale above. rocates forward andback, anddoes not fall, as

The feed-bar merely recip- This action is producedthe efiect being toturn the pinion it forward, I usual, in the backward movement to clearit of the cloth; but in order to eflect this I employ a yieldingcloth-plate, L,Figs.5, 7.and 8, which is lowered, as in black lines,whenthefeed goes forward, but is raised, as in red,when it goes backward,thus lilting the cloth up free from the teeth. To produce this automaticaction, a bar, M, Figs. 2, 5, and 8, is secured, as represented at a, tothe under side of the bed-plate, the

opposite end extending under the cloth-plateand having a head restingagainst said plate and on the cam 3, whose throw is sufficient to raisethe plate to the desired height. At asnitable position between the endsof the bar M the same is provided with an adjustingscrew, b, orequivalent, which plays loosely in the bed, sofas to be easily operated,and serves as a gage to the throw of the bar, and consequently thecloth-plate L, and thus adapting the degree to which the latter israised to the thickness of the cloth which is beingsewed. This gage oradjustability is necessary, for it is frequently the case that severalthicknesses of thick cloth have to be sewed at once, and at other timesbut a single thickness of light fabric, and in the latter case, itthecloth-plate is greatly elevated, it is difficult to guide thematerial properly. I am aware that a y ielding cloth-plate has beforebeen employed, but am not aware that the same has ever been capable ofbeing adjusted in its elevation as I have above described.

I also regulate the pressure of the clothpresser N by means of a flatspring, 0, Fig. 4,

to obtain greater or less pressure by meansof an adjusting-screw, f. Bythis means 1 am enabled to adapt the force of the presser to thethickness or condition of the cloth, which ett'ect cannot be produced bythe ordinary arrangement.

The needle-thread passes from the spool I between the arm B and a plainelongated plate, Q, which is pressed down by a flat spring, It, or itsequivalent, whose intensity is adjusted by a thumb-screw, S. By thismeans a perfect tension of the thread is produced and the same isadjnstedavhile by the long bearing upon the thread there is less dangerof breakage than where the bearing is short and abrupt. This tension isalso much more regular, especially where there are any enlargements orknots in the thread. 7,

To the end of the band-pulley l is pivoted at g, near the periphery, acurved arm or brake,

T,Figs.2 and 9,whose opposite end plays free,

but is prevented from being thrown beyond the circle by alug, h.

The bearing 0 is provided with a pin or stop, 11, projecting nearly tothe end of the bandpul- Ivy, and its position is such that when thebrake is lowered, as in red lines, Fig. 9, its

movable end will strike the stop and prevent further turning of thepulley in that direction;

but when raised, as in black lines, it'will pass ver it free in theopposite direction. Thus, when the pulley is turning forward, asindicated by the black arrow, the brake is thrown outward by thecentrifugal action, and there is no impediment to its progress; but ifturned backward, as indicated by the red arrow, the

brake falls and strikes the stop and arrests the motion. This a verysimple, convenient, and effective arrangement. i

What I claim as my invention. and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-- v 1. Governing the motion of the looper a by means'of the set ofpinions is but, situated in the head 5 in such a manner that the saidlooper shall come in proper position to catch theneedle-thread and carryit around the shuttle and thendischarge it, substantially as herein setforth.

2. In combination with the set of pinions ls l m, situatedin the head 5,the rock-shaft h,

crank z, and connecting-rod E,jointed to the lower end of the needle-barC, substantially as described.

3. Gaging the length of the stitch and indicating the gage by means ofthe eccentric w, provided with the pointer 00, and the cork o fordeadening the sound, when the same are used in combination with thefeed-bar I, as herein set forth.

4. I do not claim a yielding cloth-plate rising above the feed-bar inits backward movement, but I also claim operating the yieldingcloth-plate L by means of the barM, adjusted to raise the cloth-platemore or less to adapt the action to either thick or thin fabric by meansof the screw b or equivalent, said clothplate being used in combinationwith the feedbar I, substantially as described.

5. The brake T, pivoted to the band-pulley, in combination with the pinor stop i or equivalent.arrangedin such a manner as to bethrown outwardclear from the stop when. turning forward, but to fall and strike thestop and arrest the motion when turned backward, sub- .stantiallyasspecified.

In testimony whereot'I have hereunto signed my name in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

Witnesses:

R. F. OSGOOD, J. FRASER.

OWEN REDMOND.

